The SL series, short for “Sport Leicht” or “Sport Light,” has been an emblem of Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to excellence in engineering and design since its inception in the 1950s with the now iconic 300SL. Going on 71 years in production, the SL series has continued to evolve, with each new generation building upon the successes of its predecessors. By the time the 560SL was introduced in the late 1980s, the SL series had already firmly established itself as a symbol of luxury and performance. This lineage is carried on to the modern day, with the SL series still offering the same luxury and performance that the original cars did over 70 years ago.

The 560SL was the range-topping model for Mercedes-Benz in the 1988 production year. Part of the now iconic R107 series, the 560SL was only offered in North America, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Powered by a robust 5.6-liter V8 engine, the 560SL delivered a potent 227 horsepower, making it a joy to drive on both city streets and open highways. The car’s acceleration was smooth and effortless, and it featured a four-speed automatic transmission that ensured a comfortable and refined driving experience. The 560SL also benefits from the timeless design of the R107 series Benzs, with its sleek, aerodynamic body lines and distinctive round headlamps. Inside, the interior was a masterclass of comfort and craftsmanship, offering leather upholstery, wood trim, and a host of amenities that showcased Mercedes-Benz’s dedication to luxury and quality. The R107 series production ceased in 1988, with the redesigned R129 taking its place for the 1989 model year.

Even decades after its production ceased, the 560SL maintains a strong presence in the collector car world, and values for great examples have remained relatively high over the years. Furthermore, the 560SL was known for its robust construction and reliability, which means that many well-preserved examples can still be found on the road today, as long as proper maintenance was done throughout the car’s lifetime. The R107 series cars all retain great collectability, but the range-topping 560SL certainly draws the most desire from collectors. Pricing has seen a slow and steady rise over the years, with low-mileage cars finished in interesting colors and featuring proper service history bringing the strongest money. While there is little likelihood of pricing skyrocketing on these models, we see them as a safe bet for the future, as long as you do your due diligence on the car’s history and choose a good example with low miles and interesting colors, such as the example offered here.

This 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL, chassis # , is a one-owner from new, extremely original, time-capsule example showing just 5,310 original miles. It features beautiful original Midnight Blue paint throughout the exterior and a wonderfully preserved Burgundy Leather interior. The car also includes its factory color-matched hard top that has never even been placed on the car!

According to the included original window sticker, this 560SL was sold new in 1988 through Estate Motors of Birmingham, Michigan, to its one and only owner, who has placed the car on consignment with us. The original suggested retail price when new was $63,410. The car has lived its entire life just up the road from the original selling dealer in Troy, Michigan, and it returned to the dealership when needed for service work. Service receipts are present from 1988, showing the car’s first service. General service receipts are available for the first few years of the car’s life, showing regular maintenance, but as with cars with mileage this low, there really is not too much to report.

The car was serviced regularly, with oil and fluid changes each year at the local Mercedes-Benz dealer, and was driven very sparingly with a CARFAX entry from September of 1997 indicating 4,400 miles on the odometer.

As it sits today, this is likely as close to purchasing a brand-new 560SL as one could hope to get 35 years later. This car has been maintained and protected impeccably and remains in absolutely outstanding original condition. With its low miles, excellent colors, and fastidious ownership, this truly represents the pinnacle of collectability for the R107 series Mercedes-Benz and would be an excellent cornerstone in any collection.

Included with the sale are the factory color-matched hardtop that has never been placed on the car, the original window sticker, available service records, clean CARFAX, factory books, and manuals, as well as the original hang tags for the car.

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